


A Family

by myhamsterisademon



Series: Tumblr Works [2]
Category: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo | Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo - All Media Types
Genre: I'm Bad At Titles, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-28 14:53:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13906383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myhamsterisademon/pseuds/myhamsterisademon
Summary: The baby is so tiny, she thinks at first, he won’t survive.





	A Family

The baby is so tiny, she thinks at first, he won’t survive. He is small, so small, almost too weak to bear the burden of life, and the first few months pass away in a flutter of terror, mingled with sorrow and some more fear, with doctors running about and Fernand cursing them loudly when their medicines seem to aggravate their baby’s state – but then, slowly, her little Albert gets better: he doesn’t cough anymore, breathes freely and his pale cheeks, which at first seemed almost yellowish, now only create a beautiful contrast with his dark, doe eyes.

And so everyday they both checks his breathing, feed him, sing for him, lull him into their arms, Mercédès almost jealous because the baby seems so cosy in her husband’s lap, and, as he grows up, as he becomes every day more like his father (and so different from Edmond, she wonders painfully, but chases that thought from her mind as soon as it peaks), she grows satisfied with her life.

Albert is everything she could have wished for: he has her hair, dark and silk-like, he has Fernand’s curiosity and stubbornness, as well as her sweetness. And she loves him more than she can think, sometimes almost too much, too painful.

And that’s how the grief of Edmond’s absence slowly fades, from an overwhelming anguish to a little sting now and then, always there, in the back of her heart or her brain, more tolerable now that she has a reason to survive.  
Sometimes she feels guilty for being happy – after all, she had sworn eternal and undying love to the sailor, but she was young, at that time, and did not know that romance has but little place in the world.

Fernand himself gives her a quiet, respectable, comfortable life in Paris, where they can raise their son properly; Fernand stern and strict like he always has been, but deep down, he’s the one who spoils their Albert the most.   
His husband adores her, worships her and, although they both know she will never love him as much as he loves her, he seems selflessly content with being able to see her smile and to be part of the reason why she is smiling.

All in all, Mercédès thinks, she could have had it worse. As Albert trots up to her, grinning his toothy smile while Fernand holds his tiny hands and prevents him from falling down. His father crouches with the baby, whispers something in his ears and makes him giggle. Fernand looks up at her and beams.

She smiles back, happier than she imagined.

**Author's Note:**

> From [this](https://monte-cristo-incorrect-quotes.tumblr.com/post/170455429737/for-the-send-me-a-couple-meme-merc%C3%A9d%C3%A8s-and) prompt


End file.
